Michael Velez, 34, of St. Croix Thursday was arraigned on drug charges by U.S. Magistrate Judge George W. Canon after a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Velez with manufacture of marijuana and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe has announced.
Velez's indictment comes as a result of investigative work by a joint local and federal task force comprised of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Virgin Islands Police Department. The charges stem from a search warrant that was executed at 4-0 Catherine's Rest on Jan. 29.
The court released Velez on a $25,000 unsecured bond. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each of the two counts.
U.S. Attorney Sharpe reminds the public that an indictment is a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty, Sharpe said.
The case is being investigated by the DEA and VIPD, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian H. Stringer.
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